The BLOG for dedicated runners

“Smile, breathe and go slowly." -Thich Nhat Hanh

Nothing's a more fun surprise for a runner than realizing they've developed asthma. Adult-Onset Asthma is definitely a bummer, but it doesn't have to be a career-ending “injury” by any stretch of the imagination. If Jackie Joyner-Kersey can do it, why not the rest of us?

If an athlete over 20 develops asthma, this is considered Adult-Onset Asthma. According to WebMD, adults who develop asthma typically fall into one of these categories:

Women who take estrogen following menopause for 10 years or longer

People who have just had certain viruses or illnesses, such as a cold or flu

People with allergies, especially to cats

People who are exposed to environmental irritants, such as tobacco smoke, mold, dust, feather beds, or perfume.

Adult-Onset Asthma can be diagnosed in a few different ways: doctor listening to your breathing and symptoms, a lung function test, a methacholine challenge test, or a chest X-ray. As you probably know symptoms include:

wheezing

chest tightness

shortness of breath

coughing

occasionally rapid heart rate and sweating

There are also different severity levels of asthma, ranging from mild to severe. Treatments for asthma can include anti-inflammatories, bronchodilators (open the brochials), and with various monitors or action plans. Asthma effects 12%-15% of the population...

Running with Asthma

As a runner, your best bet is to run in warm, humid temperatures. Cold air is even more shocking to the lungs when we run because we're breathing through open mouths.

Generally, air comes in through the nostrils and gets warmed before it reaches the lungs—not so when running with your moth open. So a warmer, moister environment is ideal for an asthmatic runner. Also, it is essential to properly warm up before you begin running to allow your lungs to acclimate a bit. To just step out the front door and take off is the harshest shock of cold, dry air to your lungs.

Bring your inhaler with you—just in case. Drink warm fluids only before, during, and after exercise. If your lungs are really hurting after a workout, hop in the shower and breath in that warm, moist air to relax your lungs and give them a rest.

Famous athletes with asthma:

Jerome Bettis - former NFL halfback

Tom Dolan - Olympic swimmer

Kurt Grote - Olympic swimmer

Nancy Hogshead - Olympic swimmer

Juwan Howard – NBA player

Jim “Catfish” Hunter - former MLB player and Hall of Famer

Jackie Joyner-Kersee - Olympic runner

Bill Koch - Olympic cross-country skiier

Greg Louganis - Olympic diver

Debbie Meyer - Olympic swimmer

Art Monk - former NFL wide receiver

Robert Muzzio - decathlete

Dennis Rodman - former NBA player

Jim Ryun - Olympic track medalist

Alberto Salazar - past winner of the New York City and Boston marathons